The Morning News
http://www.nwaonline.net/articles/2008/08/02/religion/080208loavesnfishes.txt
Local News for Northwest Arkansas
Loaves And Fishes
By Bettina Lehovec
The Morning News
Area churches feed hundreds of hungry people in soup kitchens and food pantries each week.
Whether it's a small program that operates out of a single closet or an established center that dishes up 200 daily meals, the ministries make a difference to those in need.
"If not for them helping us, I don't know what else I would do," said Charlotte Rogers as she picked up a sack of groceries at the food pantry at First Church of the Nazarene in Rogers. She and her husband have suffered lingering health problems that have taken a toll on their finances, she said.
"It's put us in a bind. With groceries going up, gas going up, (it's hard to get by)."
Rogers' situation is typical, food program directors agree. Everyone's felt the economic crunch at the gas pump and the grocery store. Add an unexpected expense such as illness or home repair - and many people who were just getting by start to sink.
"There are a lot more people in need," said Debbie Rambo, executive director of The Samaritan Center in Rogers and Springdale. "We're seeing a lot of newcomers, a lot of people we've never seen before. ...
"They're caught off guard (by the tightening economy). It's a huge spiral downward."
The Samaritan Center feeds between 80 and 150 people a day at its Rogers soup kitchen, Rambo said. Another 50 families utilize the food pantry. A nonprofit supported by 13 area churches and other sources of funding, the center is one of the larger help organizations in the area. Other faith-based nonprofits that receive church support include the Salvation Army, Helping Hands in Bentonville, the Manna Center in Siloam Springs and LifeSource International in Fayetteville.
Teaming up to provide help is a time-honored tradition among Northwest Arkansas churches. Eighteen Fayetteville churches contribute to Cooperative Emergency Outreach, pooling their resources to provide a variety of emergency care.
Six Springdale churches donate money, manpower and groceries to Christians United Pantry, or CUP, at First Christian Church in Springdale. Central United Methodist Church and St. Paul's Episcopal Church, both in Fayetteville, take turns hosting the noontime Community Meals program.
Dozens of other churches offer food pantries, hot meal programs, Angel Food distribution and other help services.
Feeding The Sheep
Christians have a moral obligation to help those in need, many churchgoers agree.
"We have a biblical mandate," said the Rev. David Freeman, executive pastor at First United Methodist Church in Springdale. "As we seek to follow Christ, we follow the commandments he gave us. ... That is our way of expressing our love for Jesus Christ - by loving each other."
Matthew 25 lays out the proscription: "For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me. ...
"I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me."
The Bread of Life Outreach Ministry at the church offers a food pantry and a weekly hot meal program that serve about 150 families each week.
Jennifer Dorsey, a volunteer at the First Church of the Nazarene food pantry in Rogers, pointed to the Epistle of James for motivation.
"What is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him? Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to him, 'Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed,' but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it not accompanied by action, is dead." (James 2:14-17)
Dorsey's husband, Trey, director of the food program, remembers Jesus telling Peter to "feed my sheep."
"This is a really concrete way to feed the sheep. Some people say that's allegorical, but if the body's dead, it doesn't matter how spiritual someone is. ...
"He told us time and time again - we're supposed to take care of the people around us."
The couple contribute a 50-pound bag of beans and a 25-pound sack of cornmeal to the food pantry each week. The staples supplement the canned goods and packaged foods received though individual donations and from the Northwest Arkansas Food Bank.
Like many pantry directors, Dorsey relies on the food bank to keep his shelves filled. Church groups and nonprofits pay a "shared maintenance fee" of 18 cents per pound. Katie Lay, development coordinator for the food bank, said church food programs have a huge impact. They comprise most of the 160 member agencies the bank serves.
Food pantries also utilize the Arkansas Rice Depot, a statewide, faith-based food bank. Paper products are available through The United Way. Some churches receive food from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, but the detailed accountability requirements cause many churches to opt out.
Corporations such as Tyson Foods, Allen Canning Co. and Wal-Mart Stores donate tons of food and paper goods each year. Donations from church and community members also play a big role. Some churches budget money to support their food programs. Others rely solely on donations.
Food pantries typically provide emergency supplies intended to last for three days or a week. Visits are often limited to one per month or every other month. Pantry directors say they can't do more and still provide for all in need.
Hot meal programs generally are open to all comers. On Tuesday, the line of people waiting for Community Meals at Central United Methodist Church in Fayetteville numbered 111. Some, like Mike Green, said the program supplies his main meal of the day.
"I can't afford to eat anywhere else," he said.
Others find the companionship as nourishing as the food.
"I have food at home, but I like to come and visit, get out," said Melissa Huffman, a disabled woman who said she's made friends through the program. "It's nice."
Betty Phelps, Tuesday supervisor of Community Meals, said a stellar team of volunteers makes the program work.
"They do an amazing job with what we have." Nothing is wasted. Even small amounts of leftovers are frozen and find new life in a monthly offering known as "Methodist stew."
Phelps was part of the disciple Bible study class that started the program 11 years ago. Originally intended as a way to feed the homeless, Community Meals now reaches an even wider circle.
"We reach people who need help," Phelps said. "Many of these people are not homeless, but just barely above that."
At A Glance
A Growing Need
Last year, the Northwest Arkansas Food Bank helped feed some 300,000 people through more than 160 member agencies. This year, they expect the number to jump to 450,000.
Member agencies have seen up to a 400 percent increase in the number of families they serve, said Katie Lay, development coordinator for the food bank.
Donations of food, time and money are always needed. Call individual churches and food programs or the Northwest Arkansas Food Bank at 872-8774.
Where To Turn For Help
Dozens of area churches offer food pantries and related aid services.
A few of the larger ones are listed below.
The Bread of Life Outreach Ministry, Springdale, First United Methodist Church, 750-5229
Christians United Pantry, Springdale, First Christian Church, 756-5687.
Community Emergency Outreach, 444-7500
Community Meals, Fayetteville, Central United Methodist Church, St. Paul's Episcopal Church, 442-4237
Helping Hands, Bentonville, 273-2511
LifeSource International, Fayetteville, 521-4000
The Manna Center, Siloam Springs, 524-9825
Salvation Army, numerous locations, 521-2151
The Samaritan Center, Rogers, Springdale, 636-4198
Source: Staff report
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